Vegetarian Tikka Masala
This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units).It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews.Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.
Yields 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 to 3 serrano peppers (depending on how hot you want it)
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 (16-ounce) container tofu, drained and cubed
- ½ cup diced paneer cheese
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
- cooked basmati rice, for serving
- naan, for serving
Instructions
- Set a large heavy duty dutch oven over medium-high heat with the ghee or oil. Once hot, add in the onion, garlic, and serrano peppers and cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, spices, and tomato paste. Stir and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste has darkened. Stir in the canned tomatoes. Cover and cook until just beginning to simmer. Stir in the cilantro and heavy cream. Lower the flame and simmer until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- In the meantime, set a large skillet over medium high heat with a tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add in the tofu and cook, stirring often, until browned and crispy on all sides.
- Transfer the tofu, paneer, and garbanzo beans to the sauce, stir to evenly incorporate and cook for about 10 minutes longer to warm through all the ingredients. Serve the masala with cooked basmati rice and naan. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!